Heredity

Front

Heredity Noun

---

[huh-red-i-tee]

Back

Heredity

---

The passing of traits or genetic material from parents to offspring through their genes.

---

Example: This pedigree chart shows how a specific trait (red color) is passed down through three generations of a family, illustrating the concept of heredity.

Front

Genetics Noun

---

[juh-net-iks]

Back

Genetics

---

The scientific study of genes, heredity, and how traits are inherited and vary in living organisms.

---

Example: This diagram shows how genetic information is organized: DNA is coiled into genes, which are parts of chromosomes, found inside the nucleus of a cell.

Front

Trait Noun

---

[trayt]

Back

Trait

---

A specific physical or behavioral characteristic of an organism that is determined by its genes.

---

Example: This chart shows how a trait, like eye color, is passed from parents to their children, with different combinations resulting in different probabilities.

Front

Gene Noun

---

[jeen]

Back

Gene

---

A distinct section of DNA on a chromosome that carries the instructions for a specific inherited trait.

---

Example: This diagram shows that a gene is a specific section of a DNA molecule, which is tightly coiled to form a chromosome inside a cell's nucleus.

Front

Allele Noun

---

[uh-leel]

Back

Allele

---

One of the different forms or variations of a specific gene that determines a particular trait.

---

Example: This image shows alleles as different versions of a gene (A and a) on a pair of chromosomes, illustrating homozygous (AA, aa) and heterozygous (Aa) combinations.

Front

Chromosome Noun

---

[kroh-muh-sohm]

Back

Chromosome

---

A thread-like structure in a cell's nucleus, made of DNA, that contains genetic information.

---

Example: This diagram shows that a chromosome, made of tightly coiled DNA, is a structure found inside a cell's nucleus that carries genetic information.

Front

DNA Noun

---

[dee-en-ey]

Back

DNA

---

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the self-replicating molecule that carries the genetic instructions for all known organisms.

---

Example: This diagram shows DNA as a twisted ladder (double helix) made of a sugar-phosphate backbone and rungs of paired chemical bases: Adenine with Thymine, and Guanine with Cytosine.

Front

Genotype Noun

---

[jee-noh-tahyp]

Back

Genotype

---

An organism's complete genetic makeup, represented by the combination of alleles it possesses for a trait.

---

Example: This image shows examples of genotypes, which are the pair of alleles for a gene, such as homozygous (AA, aa) or heterozygous (Aa).

Front

Phenotype Noun

---

[fee-noh-tahyp]

Back

Phenotype

---

An organism's observable physical appearance or the visible expression of a specific inherited trait.

---

Example: This image shows that an organism's genetic code (genotype), represented by DNA, provides the instructions for its observable traits (phenotype), represented by the person.

Front

Dominant Allele Noun

---

[dom-uh-nuhnt uh-leel]

Back

Dominant Allele

---

An allele that expresses its associated trait even when only one copy is present in the genotype.

---

Example: This diagram shows that if at least one dominant allele ('D') is present in the genotype (DD or Dd), the dominant trait is expressed.